New Photography Book Features Astronauts’ Photos of the Moon

Photographs from NASA’s earliest manned moon missions, shot by the astronauts themselves, have been collected into The Moon 1968–1972, a hardcover book published by T. Adler Books.

Every photograph in the book was taken by an Apollo mission participant’s Hasselblad camera, and most of them were taken strictly for the purpose of scientific documentation. That said, many of these images could be described as playful snapshots, though they capture remarkable moments in human achievement.

Apollo 9 (NASA)

Accompanying the photos are explanations of both the Apollo missions’ purpose and scope and the importance of photography in manned spaceflight, as well as the astronauts’ training in photography. Upon being issued a camera, Apollo crew members were encouraged to practice taking photos before their missions. Many of the best and most enduring photographs of space, and the moon’s surface, are the result of astronauts taking pictures of things that looked interesting or resonated emotionally.

Apollo 12 (NASA)

Apollo 16 (NASA)

This 48-page volume has 34 pages of full-color photographs, and the list price is $18. Click here to order a copy directly from the publisher. You can also order framed prints from the book at Archiv-e.